we play table tennis on the dining table
pLiNg PinG pOnG
a soothing sound
there is no net
we put a cushion on the border
but it didn’t work
so we don’t count//just play
&that is fine with me
earlier i cut a hokkaido squash
into tiny slices,
knife pressed in its yellow flesh
i’m worn
my hands still ache a bit
“you’re cooking soup?”
“nah, i sauté it //butter, jeera&–”
our voices echo in the room
it seems so big now
later you will lay your head against my shoulder,
pull me closer
i’m not saying no
i wouldn’t
&you know, as you love me
i’m a boat with huge white sails
amidst a crazy storm,
rain hitting in your face
“there’s a promise” someone whispers
&the wind sits on the window sill
with hazy eyes
beside the rocking of the waves–
is silence
jaywalking the moon 
I sense a freedom within the relationship that allows you to explore and reach and feel so many things and at the same time gives you a cozy security…a balance achieved that is fresh yet familiar?
To be a boat with huge white sails.. Love that, and the pumpkin dinner sounds a great start for that closeness in the end 🙂
Love this. I love autumn x
Such a lovely rhythm as if you are guiding us into the season ever so gently. I also love your Ping Pong rules!
… had to laugh bout the ping pong game on the dinner table … did the same bout 30 years ago … remembe, at one point, the ball bounced right out the window … so we went looking for it in the trees … and … as they say, the rest is history … smiles … lovely words, C … happy ErnteDankFest … smiles …
Sometimes we are each others life boat – a harbor in our private storms – the whisper of the promise brought tears to my eyes – as always a lovely intimacy, Claudia
lovely–agree with Kathleen- very nice. k. (I am afraid I am “commented out” having spent a little while returning visits after a busy week-but this was lovely, Claudia.) k.
Have I told you lately that I love how you write about long-term love? Warm, familiar, touching. Thanks.
It’s a good place to be–in loving arms, with the scents of hearty autumn cooking.
Lovely Claudia. It has such a nice feeling of love, loving, playing and being so at home. You painted such a good scene with your words. Hope you’re having a good weekend.
Helping each other through life and keeping each other afloat, the way to be. Haven’t played ping pong in a while, never on the table lol
Oh, I love this season of the year with so many different squashes available at the markets. Sauteed with butter sounds good. Smiles. And what a neat image with the boat with huge white sails. I think this boat could navigate through the most intense storms!
I love playing ping-pong, but it’s in the past…not so much here….Love pumpkins too, but they are never open to try…smooth transition from pumpkin to family waves with wind behind… xx
Beautiful, Claudia!
Oh this is beautiful. I especially love the wind sitting on the window sill with hazy eyes. And “I’m a boat with huge white sails.” Just gorgeous.
There is a strong autumn tone to the poem…makes you want to curl up near a fireplace.
It is indeed the best season for squash, except that you have to cut them first. We had the same kind of table tennis table when I was a child and still hours of good fun. I enjoyed this snapshot into your saturday, Claudia!
Gorgeous. Oh, to be a boat with huge white sails…
The boat/sails/storm/rain metaphor is a fine one.
huge white sail is so calm, peaceful and strong that it doesn’t care about the waves and storms and winds and rains and all that…love that ping-pong bit too 🙂
a time for our dear ones from our busy schedules;
How warm and loving this poem is. So full of love and memories and belonging.
I’m still thinking of that boat with big sails and the silence at the end. Two images that conjure up relationship, space, freedom and so many other things. Your poem is very evocative. Thanks.
Greetings from London.
The comfort of love, closeness and Autumn flavors ~ how cozy is this. Smiles 🙂
You paint a wonderful scene, complete with heavy emotional undercurrents. Very fine.
I especially like the imagery in the last 4 lines.transports one to a different plane.
Tis the season … My hands ache too when I cut–but oh the reward! and, too, the pinging and ponging, the sound of relaxation and more, the fittings knocking against the main mast of the sailboat, sails like sheets, waves and stillness. Time to move to that inside place and share the harvest. Love.
the image of that boat, catches a bit of the drifting in this from moment to moment…i love ping pong…played it over the summer a bit…and is a high point of my teens…we used to play at this clubhouse and had a blast…those last eight lines really make this for me c…
Had fun reading this again.
I think the reason my blog doesn’t show up on your reader is because I changed my url a few months ago. You may need to resubscribe. Sorry about that.
I specially like: i’m a boat with huge white sails
amidst a crazy storm,
rain hitting in your face
The house sounds different when the kids are not around for sure ~ Hey we are making soup for our thanksgiving lunch tomorrow, its pumpkin with bosch pears ~ Have a good week ~
Grace
Claudia, you without a doubt always bring smile to my face with your poems. One of the characteristics I love about your work is that your poems are so expansive. Each covers a lot of territory. I know that I am not making a lot of sense, chalk it up to being inarticulate this AM. 😉
ha, I wanted to copy the verse which I liked the most, and saw that Heaven already copied it 🙂 great write!
When I read your work, I always feel that you let us into someplace in your heart–beautiful work Claudia!
Claudia such intimate poem!! lovely!! and i love pumpkin !!
Great poem well, written.
I really enjoyed the ending..the wind sits on the window sill..enjoying some silence.
Lots of images here….wonderful rhythm as if I am in the boat rocking along through this verse
Tender – beautiful
Almost a lullaby….really nice…the ball back and forth of the ball, life at home, what goes on when you shut the door, rocking back and forth.
A comfortable connection to hearth and home and another human…
This makes me think of the ease and comfort of a great relationship. Very nice.
Hey, I’m getting to an age where in couple years even TABLE TENNIS will be beyond my doing (unless it is on a motor scooter, that is!) Sooo, I wondering, when will you and Brian and some couple dozen others, put out a call for the clan to meet somewhere. I can still play a violin, bring your clarinet and brushes with paint. Maybe WE should come over THERE, OHver Therrre! (HA!).
I know you have considered, and I prob missed my shot when you were in NY few ytears ago (I left ytears as is, it looked fitting right now!
BLESSINGS writer-painter-poet-business-girl who smiles even when smiling is not appropriate! (There IS humor in everything, Babe!)
I’ll be back.. You and Bri will be here. It is what MOST matters!
lovely….not sure about the table tennis; never was really any good at it…but the rest sounds quite enticing. I like the image of the wind sitting on the windowsill.
Autumn it is…
Nice one.
It’s been years since I played table tennis and the Fall season is upon us now for sure. I love how your words play upon each other with emotions, tastes and smell. You showcase your world every time I visit.